The sixth match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday took an unexpected turn when a massive swarm of flies invaded the pitch, forcing a temporary halt to play and testing the patience of the cricketers.
During India’s innings, the insects proved to be a constant nuisance, visibly distracting players while batting and fielding. Pakistan’s spinner, Nashra Sandhu, was frequently seen using a towel to fend off the persistent bugs, and both fielders and Sandhu approached the umpires to discuss how to manage the infestation.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana then resorted to using a spray on the field, but the insects remained a persistent problem. Even after drinks were called, the flies continued to hover around the crease, prompting India’s Harleen Deol to step away momentarily to shoo them off before facing deliveries.
Eventually, the disturbance became too significant to ignore. Both teams were forced to leave the pitch, and a masked staff member was brought in to apply a more potent ‘bug spray’ to clear the playing area.
Despite the unusual distraction, the India Women’s team maintained steady progress against Pakistan’s bowlers. After 30 overs, India had reached 136 for 3, with Pratika Rawal scoring 31, Smriti Mandhana contributing 23, and Harmanpreet Kaur adding 19. Jemimah Rodrigues was holding strong at the crease on 21.
The innings had seen the fall of three crucial wickets: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, and Harmanpreet Kaur, who departed when the team score was 106. Pakistan Women, having won the toss and opting to bowl first, experienced mixed success as India managed to build a stable platform amidst the bug chaos and wicket losses.
Adding a strange twist to an already tense contest—marked by the absence of handshakes before play—the unexpected bug swarms at Colombo became the primary challenge on the field, demanding both concentration and skill from the players.
India now looks to accelerate their innings, battling not only Pakistan’s bowling attack but also the relentless insect invasion, in what has truly become a test of resilience.